Workaround for Broken Power Apps Attachment Control

Recently, a change in Microsoft Power Apps affected a common method for enabling file uploads. The attachment control, which users typically copied from a form into a standalone app, no longer functions correctly when used outside the form context. This disruption has affected many makers who relied on that approach since its emergence in 2019.

If you've encountered this issue, you're not alone. Fortunately, there's a workaround that helps make it easier to keep file upload functionality in your app—without waiting for a product fix. Shane has documented this in his video: Power Apps Bug & Fix: Attachment Control.

What Changed

Previously, the process involved:

1. Connecting your app to a SharePoint list.

   
   

2. Inserting a Form control connected to that list.

   
   

3. Adding the Attachments field to the form.

   
   

4. Copying the Attachment control from the form and pasting it elsewhere in your app.

   
   

Now, when you try to copy and paste that control—even within the same form—it no longer functions properly. The paperclip icon that triggers the file picker disappears, and the control becomes unusable.

The Workaround: Drag, Don’t Copy

Here’s how to restore file upload functionality:

1. Add a Form to your screen and connect it to a SharePoint list (any list with attachments enabled).

   
   

2. Edit the fields in the form to include the Attachments control.

3. Instead of copying the control, click and drag the entire data card that contains the attachment control outside the form.

4. You’ll see some formula errors. Clean those up by:

   
   

   • Removing or correcting the Items property.

     
     

   • Setting DisplayMode to Edit.

     
     

   • Optionally adjusting styling (e.g., Color to Color.Black).

     
     

5. Once it works, delete the form. The dragged control will remain functional.

Why This Works

Dragging preserves internal bindings that are lost during copy-paste. This technique isn't documented, and Microsoft hasn't officially acknowledged it as supported behavior. However, it allows your app to continue supporting file uploads until an official fix is released.

Known Bug Reference

Microsoft has documented this issue as Bug 5096864, noting that the control "is not designed to work outside of a form." This workaround sidesteps that limitation until the functionality is restored or officially restructured.

Final Thoughts

If you're building or maintaining apps that rely on file uploads, this drag-and-drop method offers a workable path forward. We'll share this workaround with Microsoft to help drive resolution. In the meantime, you can keep your apps running smoothly using this approach.

For a visual walkthrough, check out the linked video tutorial.